Stafford parents warned of delays as £15m roadworks to hit school run

Severn Trent Water engineers are due to start replacing sewer and water pipes on a two-mile stretch between Weeping Cross and Stafford town centre on Monday.

However, worried parents want the works postponed for two weeks until the school term is over, saying they fear for their children's safety if they are delayed picking them up from school.

Retired stockbroker Graeme Cull, of Rowley Park, said the six-month project should have been put back until the start of the summer holidays as there are a number schools along that stretch of road, including Barnfields Primary in Lansdowne Way; Leasowes Primary in Porlock Avenue; Oakridge Primary, off Victoria Way; St Anne's Primary in Lynton Avenue; and Walton High School, The Rise.

The father-of-twins said that after calling Severn Trent, he was advised to start the school run at 7.30am instead of the usual time of 8.20am in order to arrive at the same time. Mr Cull said: "It's so frustrating. There are no diversions to the school, so we have to use that road. Taking so long to make a 20-minute journey is one thing, but the fear the children might wander off if you are not there to pick them up on time is a serious one.

"It's inevitable that pipes have to be replaced but this road, especially along Radford Bank, is so busy that traffic management is crucial. It's total madness that they are starting the work now."

The company is replacing more than 12 miles of ageing water pipes and upgrading two major sewage pumping stations. It comes following the completion of a similar project along the A513 from Milford that started in January.

Today, company spokesman Gareth Mead said: "Mr Cull's question is a perfectly sensible one and in fact it is now likely that the work along the Radford Bank section is more likely to be in the school holidays.

"We don't want to clash with the school term but when we work in an area is very much dictated by the highways department.

"We're really sorry for any inconvenience it's causing locally but it's important work that we need to do."